Gun Culture And The American Identity - 3571 Words

Gun culture is engrained in the American identity; there are about 300 million guns present in the United States, which is about one gun for every citizen (Birnbaum, 2013). While guns have a strong presence here, there have been an increasing number of violent tragedies in which the assailant used firearms. On April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus (Lipka 2008; No Guns Left Behind, 2007). The question quickly became ‘how do we stop guns from coming on to post-secondary campuses?’ to prevent such tragedies. The gun debate has been around for decades, but only after the Virginia Tech Massacre has the focus increased (Lipka, 2008). Colleges and universities quickly placed their focus on the topic of gun control. There is a great deal of confusion among institutions are to what their rights are in developing and implementing firearms policies on campus (Alger, 2008). The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution states, â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed† (Amendment II, 1787), there is not explicitly stated that determines how individual states should handle gun control in higher education. The federal government has left it up to the states to decide and it varies across the country (Alger, 2008). The major of states have developed legislation in response to the recent gun tragedies that focuses on creating a saferShow MoreRelatedThe Death Of The Native American Population1470 Words   |  6 PagesSuicide in the Native American Population of the Northeastern United States While the Native American population encounters many health disparities; of growing concern, is the rates of suicide among these communities. The U.S. National Library of Medicine defines health disparities as â€Å"the variation in rates of disease occurrence and disabilities between socioeconomic and /or geographically defined population groups†. When looking at the Native American population of the northeastern United StatesRead MoreGun Control : The Importance Of Gun Violence And Gun Control835 Words   |  4 PagesArtifice; the chicanery committed everywhere yet perceived by so few. Unfortunately, easily deceived Americans have engendered a reality replete with this phony yet prevalent skill pinpointed in numerous aspects of today’s society. In his book Empire of Illusions, Chris Hedges argues that â€Å"the most essential skill . . . is artifice,† ranging from political theater to consumer culture. In Hedges’ quote, essentiality is best defined as unfortunate but necessary, as artifice causes undesirable effectsRead MoreAfrican American And Post Colonial Criticism1341 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican American and Post-Colonial Criticism The discussion of African American theory must begin with the discussion of the exclusion of African American history and literature in education in order to maintain what Tyson calls â€Å"the cultural hegemony†, which is the prominence and control of white people in America. The reason why they are not included is because, as Tyson says, the inclusion of African American writings and history upsets the racist stereotypes presented about African American peopleRead MoreAn Informative Essay on Gun Control1289 Words   |  5 Pages Due date Informative Essay on Gun Control Introduction The right to possess guns is a fundamental element to American identity. The right to own and operate guns under certain circumstances is in fact guaranteed as part of the United States Constitution. Over the course of American history and particularly in the 21st century, there exists a great debate over the possession of guns of private citizens. Both sides of the debate argue with fervor. There are those that argue fervently forRead MoreHip Hop, By Maya Angelou Essay1432 Words   |  6 PagesMos Def’s â€Å"Hip-Hop† and Maya Angelou’s â€Å"Africa†: Identities That Have Been Exploited Many people find identity in their culture, art and literature. Both in Maya Angelou’s â€Å"Africa† and Mos Def’s â€Å"Hip-Hop† both have themes of identity and exploitation. Both show that the black experience in the Americas and mostly all over the world is based on being the one’s who are exploited. Both poems have to do with one’s identity or autonomy being stolen from them. They do differ when it comes to theRead MoreThe Issue of Guns and Gun Control in America1146 Words   |  5 PagesIn America guns have been a part of the country’s society since it’s birth. Throughout history the citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, to hunt for food and to engage in sporting activities. The issue of Guns and gun control takes on a proportion of extreme magnitude. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a precar ious balancing act. In the United States, gun control is one ofRead MoreGun Control versus Gun Rights Essay1445 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction In America guns have been a part of the country’s society since it’s birth. Throughout history the citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, hunt for food and engage in sporting activities. The issue of Guns and gun control is complex. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a precarious balancing act. In the United States, gun control is one of these tumultuous issuesRead MoreThe Right to Bear Arms1196 Words   |  5 PagesIn the United States the right to own a gun is enshrined by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The text of the Second Amendment reads: â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed† (Adams, 2004). The founding fathers borrowed this idea from Niccolo Machiavelli, the Italian thinker. He wrote about the weapons nece ssary for freedom to defend themselves, to hunt, and to protect the stateRead MoreThe Freedom Of Speech Across The Globe1266 Words   |  6 PagesLebanon, opening the Malala Fund’s â€Å"Malala Yousafzai All-Girls School† near the Syrian border, which will provide quality secondary education to more than 200 Syrian girls living in informal camps and out of school in the Bekaa Valley region.† As Americans, we sometimes take the numerous amount of rights we have for granted. Unknowingly, it can be difficult to understand how important freedom is to our country. When it comes to important topics, it can feel that others are being repetitive. This isRead MoreCauses Of School Shootings1131 Words   |  5 Pagesstrike into the heart of every American. From Columbine to Virginia Tech to Sandy Hook, the thought of innocent young students being mercilessly mowed down wrenches one’s heart. Yet these events continue to happen, and in ever increasing numbers. What c ould possibly drive a person to commit such a horrifying act? That single question has created a fierce debate over the causes of school shootings and what should be done to prevent them. Experts and pundits have discussed gun control, mental illness, bullying